Creating Trust-Building Content with @DebComanWriting #vcbuzz

Content marketing can help you achieve many goals, including brand awareness, relationship building, organic visibility, etc.

But can it make your brand more trustworthy?

Here’s why and how to create trust-building content…

About @DebComanWriting

Deb Coman @DebComanWriting is a content conversion strategist and host of the #SocialTrust Twitter Chat.

She helps service-based business owners create, share, and engage with trust-building content to get more sales, referrals, and collaborations.

A frequent podcast guest and speaker, Deb was featured by BuzzSumo in their Top 100 Content Marketers to Follow Right Now and NOW Marketing Group’s Top 113 Digital Marketing Experts to Follow.

You’ll find her on almost all social media platforms and at DebComan.com

Questions we discussed

Q1 How did you become a digital marketer? Please share your career story!

After a career in community mental health, I stayed home to raise my 3 sons and picked up writing projects for a small PR agency. When that business owner went back to corporate, I decided to start my own business so I could continue to be home with my kids.

I edited books and wrote copy but was more interested in what people wanted to accomplish with their message. This moved me into content marketing strategy and helping people create and share content that builds trust and leads to clients and sales.

Today I work with service-based business owners and healers who have a passion about serving. I offer both private and group services like my Content Conversion Lab which you can check out here.

Q2 What is trust-building content? Which topics can help your brand build trust through content?

Trust-building content builds relationships between the creator and the content consumer. Our content needs 4 Cs to build trust that leads to clients, sales, and referrals. They are Clarity, Connection, Consistency, and Conversion.

A2#vcbuzz

Trust building content will include real life examples, testimonials, case studies
Stories about people and from end user
It should be genuine, fact checked
Should inspire and make the reader take action

— Smita Poojary (@Smita_DigiMarke) July 18, 2023

As content creators, we need the first C, Clarity, to define what we hope to accomplish through blogging, email, social media, and all our marketing materials. This first step sets the stage for our content to bring value to the people we most want to reach.

A2 I’d say informational content about your core areas of expertise that also help your audience along their buyer’s journey, as well as about content that highlights your brand transparently, like reviews, FAQs, about page, history, staff, policies, etc. #vcbuzz

— Ethan Lazuk 🌴 (@EthanLazuk) July 18, 2023

The second C, Connection, reminds us to set an intention for connection, not for a sale. We build trust by connecting and engaging first, before offering our services or promoting.

The third C, Consistency, is the one most struggle with and why many of my clients choose to work with me. I help them create a plan and strategy that supports them to consistently create and share valuable content that builds trust and generates sales.

#VCBuzz A2.2

The mirror/similarity psychological effect will hold influence – so content from sources similar to the audience will likely have stronger influence.

Content that is accurate/correct, clear/concise etc. will usually perform better than ones with weasel words.

>>>

— Darth Autocrat (Lyndon NA) (@darth_na) July 18, 2023

The fourth C is Conversion. When you implement your content strategy with Clarity, Connection, and Consistency, you will convert more of your audience into buyers and clients. Trust-building content with the right strategy leads to profitability.

#VCBuzz A2.4

Then there's quantity and duration.
Having a single piece about a subject is unlikely to give the impression of deep knowledge.
Having numerous pages covering a subject, to various breadths/depths will (stronger topicality).

Having that over years beats weeks 😀

— Darth Autocrat (Lyndon NA) (@darth_na) July 18, 2023

Trust-building content starts with topics that share who we are, our values, and why we do what we do. Behind the scenes, personal stories, and what we do outside of work build trust along with these 21 Trust-Building Content Topics.

A2: Trust-building content delivers value to your audience and helps improve their lives. It enables you to build relationships, so they feel comfortable with you. Give them the information they need when they need it, so they'll turn to you when they're ready to buy. #vcbuzz https://t.co/ilnN1Y5thf

— Jaime Shine 💬 Marketer | Writer (@jaimeshine) July 18, 2023

Q3 When and how can trust-building content be amplified?

When we build relationships and bring value to our audience, people tend to naturally enjoy sharing and amplifying our content even without being asked.

When we engage with other people’s content more often than we post our own, we build trust and relationships. Many of the content creators we engage with will also engage with our content and share us with their audience.

I have a 4-part roadmap and training on trust-building conversations that ignite sales. Learn how to create and implement trust-building content and engagement strategies for social media and in emails.

#VCBuzz A3.

Prospects, Peers, Publicity and Professionals.

Having content shared, referenced, cited or quoted helps with awareness/reach and trust,
be it from existing consumers to potential ones,
or your peers sharing data/guides,
or Media/Press mentions,
or Experts citing you

— Darth Autocrat (Lyndon NA) (@darth_na) July 18, 2023

Quote tweeting like we do here during a #TwitterChat like #VCBuzz is an easy and effective way to amplify other people’s content.

Q4 How can you measure an impact? How to tell if you are doing the right thing?

Measuring our impact online and in business has more to do with getting our clients the results they desire than our follower count or social media analytics.

You know you’re doing the right thing and making an impact when people remember what you stand for, know how you help people, share your content, and make referrals.

A4. Measure content marketing success:
– Measure alignment w/ core business outcomes
– Establish KPIs to signal success
– Measure/report incrementality
– Set up testing/learning – only implemented insights help
– Use Looker Studio for data storytelling#vcbuzz https://t.co/eT4bFj6Wzf
— Jeannie Hill (@essentialskill) July 18, 2023

Client satisfaction, retention, and referrals are a good metric for how successfully you’re building trust and generating results for your clients.

Engagement and sales from your email community are other measures of how well you’re building trust and relationships. For those who want to generate more sales and clients through email I created an email toolkit of templates and samples.

#VCBuzz A4.

Quantitative and Qualitative measurements.

Mentions from new sources
New mentions from prior sources
Links from new domains
New links from prior domains
Traffic from specific sources
Specific search terms increasing
Increase in visits/views of profile
New follows

— Darth Autocrat (Lyndon NA) (@darth_na) July 18, 2023

Q5 What are your favorite content creation and marketing tools?

One of my favorite tools that helps me build trust is the Notes App on my phone. In a simple list, I start with people’s names as they prefer to be called (which isn’t always their username), and any detail I learn about them so that I can personalize my interactions.

A5#vcbuzz

Buzz Sumo, Also Asked, Google Trends to see what people are searching for

Industry reports/ research papers/ blogs

Semrush

Focus groups

— Smita Poojary (@Smita_DigiMarke) July 18, 2023

Other content creation and marketing tool favorites:

I have some special offers as an affiliate for some so reach out if you’d like more info.

A5 Favorite Content Creation Tools: @BuzzSumo for ideas@Audience_Key for overall content strategy and optimizing sub-titles@Surfer_SEO for optimizing content to out-compete existing competitor content#vcbuzz https://t.co/4pdYp4YTTm

— Gail Gardner (@GrowMap) July 18, 2023